Trial By Fire
by DarkPromises
Summary: Life's no fun without a little hard to get : Mythria Cousland is crushed by the death of her entire estate but hardened to her current circumstances. Can she get past her past to live her future? or will it kill her in the attempt...
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: It's the first in a possible series? I'm very new to this and would appreciate all feedback :) Slightly AU only to the fact that I will put my own view on things and not necessarily follow the game. Enjoy!_

They made their way slowly across the Hinterlands. She never felt the thousands of steps she took, the ache and fatigue in her body, all the physical blows she had sustained in the last 24 hours melted in the churning of her emotions. "I am now parentless, title-less, and at the complete discretion of a man I met less than a day ago. Sounds like a winner of a future to me", she thought to herself. She was already prepared that it was a possibility her father would die in battle and her brother too. She had steeled herself against the reality of that. But her mother? Her nephew? Slaughtered. Ser Gilmore. Mother Mallol. Massacred. Mythria burned with a hatred she couldn't fathom. "He will die. He will taste how bitter a blade can be. Arl Rendon Howe WILL pay". "Mythria? Are you okay?" Duncan asked tentatively. He knew the pain of duty and sacrifice but to lose everything one had ever known was a foreign feeling. "Yes, Duncan." He knew that the short quips of answers she had been giving him were because of the ordeal she had faced. He knew she was obsessing over the deaths. He just shook his head and they pressed on.

**Alistair (POV)**:

"So this is what it feels like to be so anxious for something you can't sleep. Bugger." He yawned and stretched out his limbs. The dusk air tickling his chest as he rose up to take his morning bath. He walked to a nearb y pond in the camp and began his morning ritual of sudsing his hair and cleaning his body meticulously. "I wonder what kind of recruit Duncan is bringing from Highever" he thought to himself. "If he is anything like Daveth and Jory, Maker help us". He thought fondly of the Redcliffe knight but had NO idea what Duncan was thinking when he conscripted the skinny thief. "Yes, The Grey Wardens will certainly have a great reputation with one thieving the commoners pockets" he laughed and finished. He dried himself off and began fastening his underclothes and then his splintmail. Once he was finished dressing, the sun was rising and he took a brisk walk through the camp. "Maker's breath, this place needs a little more liveliness. You'd think everyone died on the battlefield already with everyone hanging their heads" eyeing the Chantry sisters as they prayed over the soldiers. He looked around the camp, noticing a rather furious looking old woman beckoning him. "Oh, Maker, What does the Revered Mother want with me?"

* * *

They made it to the camp shortly after daybreak. They did not however expect the royal welcome they received. "Duncan! I was beginning to think you were going to miss all the fun! I will get to ride into battle with the mighty Duncan by my side after all! Glorious!" The handsome young king exclaimed with his guards beside him. He was clad in the finest armor Mythria had ever seen. Her chainmail felt dull and ragtag next to his golden plate. "and this I assume is the new recruit? Allow me to personally welcome you to Ostagar" smiling warmly at her. "Wait, you are Bryce's youngest are you not? Tell me, how is he? He has yet to arrive with the rest of Highever's men". "I mean not to be curt ser, but you will be waiting for sometime yet" she answers slowly, trying to pick her words the best she could without sounding frantic or rude. "Pray tell?" giving her a questioning look. "Arl Rendon Howe has proven a traitor sire. He has massacred the Couslands in their home and taken over Highever Castle" Duncan said flatly. "When this battle is over you have my word I will turn my army north and bring Howe to justice. But I can do nothing any sooner. I am sorry" Cailan said looking pitifully at the girl. She just stared at the ground. "We shall ride to battle in the morning and all shall be well. I do not even see why the commonfolk call it a Blight. There has been no sight of the Archdemon and we have been successful in all the battles so far". " you sound very confident , your Majesty" Mythria replied. "I am especially with the fabled Grey Wardens at my side! But alas, I must take my leave. Loghain wishes to bore me with his strategies and I may have a search party here soon. Farewell!" The king turned in one sharp "clink" and walked away. "I believe he is foolhardy to believe everything is only as he sees" Mythria stated to Duncan "I mean no disrespect but there is something more than the eye perceives". "you are wise to discern that, but you will learn soon enough why I know it is a Blight".

"On with whatever is next then ser".

"You will find the camp an interesting place. To continue on with the ritual, you need to seek out a Junior Grey Warden by the name of Alistair. He will then round up the other recruits and we will meet by the fire. Your dog will stay with me in the meantime"

Maric, her faithful mabari had been ignored through out the entire journey here and was not angry to go with Duncan because of course the large man must mean food.

"I will do as you say ser"

"Please Duncan will do"

"Yes Ser"

"Quite being stubborn"

The old man turned and walked across the stone bridge.

She walked silently a few paces behind him. She wandered around the camp, convincing an elven messenger that she was the recipient of a rather fine sword, buying "illicit" goods from the quartermaster, and just taking in the sights of the army camp. She made her way to where Duncan said Alistair would be waiting and went up the ramp. "Maker's breath…" she thought as she looked at him. "what did I get myself into"

**Alistair (POV):**

"You want me to take a message to who?" He said angrily. The revered mother looked back at him. " To one of the circle mages, ser, are you deaf?"

"FINE!"

Alistair stalked off to find this mage and deliver the message and get the burden off his back.

He found the mage near an old temple and relayed the message. As he was arguing with the mage, something unusual happened. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life walked up the ramp, wearing a set of grey and blue heavy chainmail, a large shield and sword, showing a sign of great emotion and no emotion all at the same time on her face. He finished his argument with the mage and said "One thing about the Blight is how it seems to bring us all together". She looked at him with a sense of bemusement and then said "My name is Mythria. Duncan sent me to find you".

"Maker's breath…this is going to be interesting"...


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Again I do not own Dragon Age or any of it's characters __ Slightly darker tune with this chapter. A light hearted one to come soon _

"But these darkspawn just took out a whole party of seasoned scouts. This is madness!" Jory complained as he watched to injured soldier limp off to the edge of the Wilds. He turned madly to Alistair,who was rearranging his pack, "How is this a test if we get killed? Who thought up this little test!". Alistair calmly rose and shifted his pack on to his back, "If one or two darkspawn are a problem to you, then maybe you should reconsider your stance at this moment. Being a Grey Warden means facing these creatures with the intent on not letting one of them get out alive, not parleying for your life. They will kill you if you let them. Let's move forward." Alistair stepped forward towards a rickety bridge crossing it midway and then turning, "And besides I am with you to insure we don't walk into the horde but I'm not here to hold your hand." Mythria scoffed and replied, "Well, at the current moment ser I believe we are holding yours. If not for me protecting your HEAVILY exposed back, you'd be on the ground with that soldier. Don't act as if you are a self righteous god. Jory was simply worried because all he has to judge off of is a badly wounded soldier and" waves her arm to the bone decorations and bloody ground "all of the OBVIOUS marks that there are darkspawn about". Mythria quickly took off ahead of Alistair, focusing on the road ahead of her. The Wilds were a dangerously beautiful place. What greenery there was, was a lush beautiful green, the kind she dreamed about as a child. But along with that devastating beauty, was the evidence of death with blood and bones scattered every which way. She stopped in the middle of the path and looked towards the old lake with the sinking dome. On a small piece of wood, grew a tiny flower. White with a red center…."_the kennel master was asking about these earlier. Perhaps I should take it to him"_ She stooped and plucked the flower and tucked it away under her armor. She turned around to see Jory and Daveth battling a Hurlock. She drew her sword and shield and ran to the situation. Alistair went towards the Hurlock Emissary on the bridge, getting himself knocked down by it's spell. Mythria rolled her eyes and slammed into the Emissary. She knocked it down and ran her sword straight through it's chest. She gave Alistair a poke with her boot on his leg, "Hey Your Highness, are you okay down there?". Alistair glared at her as she offered her hand to help him up, "You know for all your condescending attitudes, you fight pretty well. Thanks for your help." He grabbed her hand and heaved himself up. "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"I was a guard in Castle Cousland. It's what I'm trained to do"

"But I heard you were the teyrn's daughter? I'm almost positive that's what I heard Duncan say…"

"You didn't. I was a guard. Let us find the treaties"

"_I believe it best that these twits don't know my lineage. It will make it more difficult for Howe to find me and I am now JUST a Grey Warden Recruit. I'll learn more information this way anyway.I had better speak to Duncan to insure it stays a secret amoungst these men"_  
They continued through the wilds, fighting the darkspawn and began to use the strengths and weaknesses in each other in battle. Mythria adapted to Alistair's way of just CHARGING into battle by covering the Warden's back. Daveth worked his magic with his daggers and danced around in true rogue form avoiding the swords and diving low. Jory swung his greatsword in a massive arc, and taking out everything in it's arc. They finally reached the dilapidated tower, covered in blood, flesh and Maker knew what else. "They aren't here…I was afraid of such" Alistair bent down to look through the broken cache. "All of that journey to find it is empty".

A cold calculating voice came from behind him, "Why do you look for something that is no longer here? Intruding somewhere you are not welcome?"

Mythria, Alistair, Jory and Daveth swung around to catch a glimpse of who had spoken those words. They found a dark haired woman scantily clothed and leaning against a pillar with a long, gnarled mages? staff attached to her back. She began to make her way down the ramp, her top threatening to expose her every step of the way. "And just how are we intruding? I believe these are called the Wilds because no one rules them. They are such as they are called." Mythria spat at her, crossing her arms "If you know where these documents are it'd be in your best interest to return them". "Oh? I did not remove them so your threats are empty to me. The one who did however does not respond well to threats and would rather be rid of you then give you what you seek with an air such as that", The witch scoffed at her. "You act as if you are above those around you but you deign to be their leader? That does not speak highly of you" The woman walked to the opposite side of the tower where there was a slight piece of rubble above all else. She looked down at the party and said "I am Morrigan and if you'd like I will take you to see my mother who is in possession of these documents. But it is in your best interest to take your nose out of the air" She walked into the tall brush behind her and Mythria, as well as the others, followed suite silently behind her. They happened upon a large clearing with a small, homely hut made of sticks and dried mud. "Mother! We have visitors" Morrigan called out as she walked to the side of the hut to attend to a smoldering cooking fire. An old wizened woman came from inside the hut, wearing considerably more than this "Morrigan" woman. She laughed when she took sight of the party, "My my you are a ragtag bunch. You are here seeking the treaties no?".

"Yes" Mythria answered curtly.

"Then here, they have been in my hands for a long time. " Handing Mythria the old scrolls, and turning heel and walking back into the hut. Mythria fingered the wrinkled papers as the old woman had done for years. Morrigan stood up from her blazing fire, "You may leave now . You have what you came for and are of no use here". The old woman called from the hut, "Morrigan don't be rude! Escort them!". Morrigan rolled her eyes and said, "Follow me if you must." And stomped off. Alistair looked at Jory and with a face of amusement, "Not expecting a duo of apostates, darkspawn and rabid wolves eh? Looks like your perception of dangerous things has altered slightly. Still feel this is unfair?" . Jory looked at him angrily and stomped off to follow the witch.

Mythria rolled her eyes and followed them out of the Wilds admiring the fleeting beauty of the place. "_I will come back here someday and just camp for awhile. It seems so peaceful and destructive all at the same time…I love it"_

Alistair admired Mythria as she was taking in the sights, "_She's a bitch and seems like she always is irritated about something. But she seems so…..I don't know….there is something she is hiding. What IT is I don't know." _He stopped for a moment to gaze at her, the long caramel colored plait going down her back, her slightly suntouched skin, and her eyes, maker's breath, her eyes were definetly the best part. So expressive yet so empty with a touch of light blue.

"_I will figure this woman out…if she lives…"_

Mythria turned around and barked, "Alistair, quit lagging behind you are causing us to lose precious daylight!"

"_This is going to be fun…."_

"Of course, dear, anything for you!"

She glared at him, turned around, and jogged back the rest of the way to the camp.

"_Me 1, Mythria 0"_


End file.
